Typist&#39;s desk



M. M. SMITH TYPISTS DESK Nov. 24, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 24-, 1952 R O T N E V m ATTOR'NEY M. M. SMITH TYPISTS DESK Nov. 24, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 24, 1952 Fig. 3.

m T N V m Mary M. Smith %dm ATTO Patented Nov. 24, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention relates to desks equipped with so-called disappearing typewriters.

More particularly this relates to the type of desk in which a storage space or compartment is occupied by a typewriter mounted upon a base which by means of parallel motion mechanism within the compartment is movable floatingly from a lower inactive disappearing position within the compartment to an eicvated exposed position outside and forwardly of the compartment; where the typewriter is disposed with the keyboard facing sideways and inwardly from the baseboard towards the typist so that the typist may turn between facing the desk and facing the typewriter by a convenient quarter turn of her swivel chair or merely by a slight turn of her torso.

While such well known desk construction coinprising what may be termed the floating disappearing typewriter base, represents a compact and efiicient as well as space-saving and practical arrangement for secretarial work, the typist is nevertheless confronted with the necessity of abandoning her normal position at the typewriter and of moving her chair in order at least to make a work-interrupting complete turn away from the typewriter, usually towards the supply drawers which are found to be located at the opposite side of such desks, whenever a new sheet of stationery is to be inserted in the machine or a set of carbons to be assembled.

It is an object of this invention to provide a special source of supply or auxiliary supply container supported from the desk structure for holding a convenient array of the required stationery handy, from which container sheets of stationery may be drawn conveniently by the typist without requiring any change of her typewriting position, and which container automatically moves from inside the desk to within easy reach of the typist facing the typewriter, whenever the typewriter is moved fioatingly from the lower storage position to its elevated exposed position.

7 In order to attain this object the invention provides an auxiliary supply container in the form of a drawer or tray supported by and from the under side of the floating baseboard. The drawer is floatable bodily together with the baseboard in a manner that when the baseboard is raised from its position in the storage compartment to its elevated position, the drawer is brought up with it and can be moved or extended into view from underneath the baseboard in a direction laterally from the typewriter. When so extended from the outer free end of the base board the drawer exposes an array of sheets of stationery in an area laterally of the typewriter as well as laterally within arms reach of the typist facing the typewriter; more specifically, compartmentation for sheets of stationery is provided in the drawer in the form of a series of shallow inclined sheet-receiving compartments so arranged that sheets of stationery can be drawn therefrom towards the typist in a direction transversely of the baseboard (which direction is parallel to the side of the typewriter), whereas the drawer itself is movable in a direction at right angles to that of sheet-Withdrawal. That is to say, the drawer is provided with partition means of relatively shallow slope downwardly and outwardly in a direction transversely of the direction of sliding movement of the drawer to provide compartmentation for receiving sheets of stationery, said compartmentation being disposed substantially within a horizontal area extending from the outer end of the baseboard as well as laterally of the typewriter when the drawer is extended.

According to one feature the auxiliary drawer has a bottom which comprises an inclined portion so disposed as to provide clearance for the typists knees when seated in normal typing position at the typewriter, with the drawer then in a retracted position underneath the baseboard. Compartmentation within the drawer consists of inclined shallow compartments as defined by a series of partitions which are inclined downwardly away from the typist and are substantially parallel to the inclined bottom portion of the drawer.

As this invention may be embodied in several forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof, the present embodiment is therefore illustrative and not restrictive, since the scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims rather than by the description preceding them, and all changes that fall within the metes and bounds of the claims, or of forms that are their functional as well as conjointly co-operative equivalents, are therefore intended to be embraced by those claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the desk showing the baseboard with typewriter and auxiliary drawer in disappearing position within the typewriter compartment of the desk.

Figure 2 is a perspective View similar to Figure 1, although showing the baseboard with typewriter exposed and raised to operating position and the drawer in turn slid out from under the baseboard to extend from the outer end thereof.

Figure 3 is a detail View taken on line 3-3, of the baseboard with typewriter and drawer.

Figure 4 is a perspective closeup view illustrating the manipulation by the typist, of the sheets of stationer as presented by the auxiliary supply container.

The invention is herein shown embodied in a well known type of desk In which comprises a flat top H, legs I2, various drawers as well as a storage compartment for a disappearing typewriter. That is to say, the desk has a knee hole |2 for the typist when seated to confront the desk. Above the knee hole is a center drawer I3, at one side of the knee hole the desk has a chest of drawers |4, l5, l6, while at the opposite side there is provided a typewriter storage compartment I! for the disappearing typewriter. The storage compartment has a bottom |8 and side walls l9 and 20 as well as a vertically hinged front door 2|.

The storage compartment contains a floating type typewriter baseboard 122 which can be moved from its low position within the storage compartment (see Figure l) in a forward and upward direction by parallel motion to its exposed and raised position (see Figure 2). The path of such parallel motion movement is determined by parallel motion guide mechanism which of itself is well known and therefore need not here be described in any detail. Sufiice it to say that such mechanism comprises linkages and springs which operate in vertical planes at each side of the baseboard adjacent to and along the side walls I9 and 2|) of the storage compartment. The baseboard is defined by its side edges 23 and 24 and by its forward transverse edge 25. From Figure 1 it will be noted that the baseboard in that position divides the storage compartment into an upper main space or section 26 and a lower relatively shallow space or section 21.

A typewriter 28 is mounted upon the baseboard 22' in such a position that the outwardly and forwardly facing side 29 thereof is substantially parallel to or coextensive with the forward transverse edge 25 of the baseboard. In this way, the keyboard 30 of the typewriter co n.

fronts t t t i s makes t may e i.

said to be about a quarter turn towards the typewriter from her desk facing position.

Accordingto this invention, an auxiliary supply drawer SI for sheets of stationery and the like is provided at the under side of the baseboard 22 and suspended therefrom so as to lodge (see Figure 1) within the space 21 of the storage compartment. This drawer is horizontally forwardly slidable in a pair of guides 32 and 33 provided at the under side of the baseboard, the sliding motion of the drawer being in a direction parallel to the sides 23 and 24 of the baseboard as is indicated by an arrow A1 in Figure 1 and by an arrow A2 in Figure 2. That is to say this auxiliary drawer 3| moves bodily with the base.- board 22 when the same is being raised from its Figure l storage position to its Figure 2 exposed operating position. As shown in Figure 2, having been raised along with the baseboard 22, the auxiliary drawer 3| is slidable from underneath the baseboard forwardly in the direction of arrow A2, namely to a position laterally of the typewriter although forwardly of the transverse front edge 25 of the baseboard. When so forward y exposed the auxiliary drawer Good- 4 pies a horizontal area which extends laterally of the typewriter and forwardly of the baseboard, this area being substantially defined by the sides a and 2) thereof, which area is thus disposed within easy arm's reach of the typist when she faces the keyboard of the typewriter.

The auxiliary drawer itself has a bottom which comprises a horizontal portion 34, and an inclined portion 35 which latter is significant as will be presently understood. As viewed by the typist confronting the typewriter this drawer furthermore has vertical side walls 36 and 31, and a vertical rear wall 38. The drawer is subdivided into shallow inclined compartments 39 suitable for receiving sheets of stationery, which compartments are defined by a series of inclined partitions 40 which extend transversely of this drawer and substantially parallel to the inclined bottom portion 35 the incline of which is designated by the angle W. In this way a dual significance attaches to the particular shape of the bottom of the drawer in that the inclined bottom portion 35 allows not only for the provision of the desired incline of the sheet receiving compartments, but also provides adequate knee accommodation for the typist when seated facing the typewriter, so that her convenience and proper operating position and posture with respect to the typewriter is in no way interfered with. As for the interior of the auxiliary drawer, the compartmentation thereof furthermore provides for an open space 4| triangular in side View (see Figure 3) and suited to receive and store for convenient use a number of envelopes or diverse non-sheet items or accessories.

It is to be noted (see illustration in Figure 4) that the typist when facing the typewriter may conveniently help herself to a sheet of stationery such as indicated at 4| from any of the inclined compartments 39, by withdrawing such sheets in a direction indicated by an arrow As, that is in a direction which is substantially parallel to the front edge 25 of the baseboard as well as parallel to the side 29 of the typewriter, and thus in a direction transversely of the direction of the sliding motion (arrow A1) of the drawer 3| itself. In this way, with an adequate supply of the desired stationery and other items provided handy in and by the auxiliary drawer 3| the typist need not shift or turn back and forth as for example between the typewriter in front and the chest of drawers l4, I5, I6 in the rear of her, since she may now secure a fresh assembly of sheets conveniently, rapidly, and without the aforementioned exertion from the auxiliary drawer 3|.

What I claim is:

1. In a desk having at one side thereof a storage compartment for a disappearing typewriter, the combination of a floating type disappearing typewriter baseboard movable bodily by parallel motion from a low position within the compartment to an elevated position outside and forwardly of the compartment, said baseboard adapted to support a. typewriter with the keyboard facing sideways inwardly from the base-,- board and to be thus faced by the typist, with a supply container for sheets of stationery associated with the underside of the baseboard so that the container is adapted to lodge together with said baseboard within said storage compartment when in said low disappearing position and to travel together with said baseboard from said low position to said elevated position, the

- container being in the form of a drawer manually slidable from a retracted position underneath the baseboard to an extended position forwardly of the outer free end of the baseboard, the drawer having partition means of relatively shal- 10w slope downwardly and outwardly in a direction transversely of the direction of the sliding movement of the drawer to provide compartmentation for receiving sheets of stationery, said compartmentation being disposed substantially within a horizontal area extending from the outer end of the baseboard as well as laterally of the typewriter when the drawer is extended.

2. The combination according to claim 1, in which the bottom of the drawer comprises an inclined portion substantially parallel to said inclined partition means and adapted to provide a recess and clearance for accommodating the typist when seated befor the typewriter when the drawer is in its retracted position.

MARY M. SMITH.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 10 1,1 2 Davis Apr. 13, 1915 2,066,608 Bashnell Jan. 5, 1937 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 15 128,418 Switzerland Nov. 1, 1928 111,938 Sweden Sept. 26, 19 4 

